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January 2013

1. World Premiere: Nation Estate by Larissa Sansour in Rotterdam
2. Leaving Baghdad by Koutaiba al-Janabi at Fajr Film Festival in Teheran
3. Funding Guide for Arab Documentary Producers updated and online
4. New DVDs in mecfilm-shop.com: Gate #5 and Sector Zero
5. DVD of the month: Peau Neuve (New Skin)
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1. World Premiere: Nation Estate by Larissa Sansour in Rotterdam

We are proud to announce the World Premiere of Larissa Sansour’s Sci-fi Short NATION ESTATE at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the short film program “Close Encounters: Peripheral Images and Histories of the Present Close Encounters: Peripheral Images and Histories of the Present 1”. The director is present at the screenings on Saturday, January 26th at 2.15pm and Sunday, January 27th at 7.30pm. For details see

Content
Nation Estate is a 9-minute sci-fi short offering a clinically dystopian, yet humorous approach to the deadlock in the Middle East.
The film explores a vertical solution to Palestinian statehood: One colossal skyscraper housing the entire Palestinian population – now finally living the high life.
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2. Leaving Baghdad by Koutaiba al-Janabi at Fajr Film Festival in Teheran

Koutaiba al-Janabi’s sensitive feature about a fictitious cameraman of Saddam Hussein, still tours international film festivals. Teheran’s prestigious Fajr Film Festival invited the film into the main competition and the director as guest of honour.

Content
Baghdad in the early 2000s: Sadik, a personal cameraman to Saddam Hussein escapes Iraq. Hoping to join his estranged wife in London, he traverses several countries, is passed on from one smuggler to the next. The disappearance of his son, who did not share his father’s enthusiasm for the regime, and scenes Sadik had filmed for work, haunt him alike whilst he tries to find his way out of the omnipresent and tormenting shadows of the regime.
As footage shot by fictional Sadik, Koutaiba Al-Janabi weaves real footage from Saddam Hussein’s now accessible archive into his documentary style, slow paced fiction.
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3. Funding Guide for Arab Documentary Producers updated and online

An updated version of the Funding Guide for Arab Documentary Producers, initiated by DOCmed in Beirut, updated in co-operation with Dubai International Film Festival and compiled by Irit Neidhardt (mec film) is now available online at
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4. New DVDs in mecfilm-shop.com: Gate #5 and Sector Zero

In yet another co-operation with Beirut-based MC Distribution GATE #5 by Simon El Habre and award winning SECTOR ZERO by Nadim Mishlawi are now available at mecfilm-shop.com.

In SECTOR ZERO Mishlawi is exploring the notorious, now derelict, area of Karantina at the outskirts of Beirut. At the award ceremony in Dubai Head of Jury Ulrike Ottinger called the film a real masterpiece and Volker Schloendorff (The Tin Drum) wrote: “If film is the art of showing, the highest art may be not to how it all. Sector Zero is such an example.”
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Simon El Habre’s GATE #5 offer the spectator “A fascinating look at the lives of those working at one of Beirut’s busy ports” as The Rolling Stone’s Middle East edition states.
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5. DVD of the month: Peau Neuve (New Skin)

Content
A lot of men, as well as some women and children are using public bathrooms. Some do so due to necessity, others because they simply prefer washing in public.

Clara Elalouf, France 2008, essay documentary, 12 min, no language
DVD PAL, region free

Subjects
Public Space, Privacy, Body, Masculinity, Washing, Metropolis

Awards
Special Mention of the Jury at International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand
2nd Prize at Aye Aye Festival
2nd Prize at Siroki Brijeg Film Festival

Institutional rights
According to the rights you whish to acquire and your territory the fee varies, please place your order at the mec film office

Stream 1,90€ (2.40$) at our partners realeyz.tv
Price DVD 10,-€
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